Golf club toy

ABSTRACT

A golf club toy includes a golf club head having oversized dimensions to provide a planar contact surface for the continuous bouncing of a golf-sized ball off of the club head surface. Located opposite the striking surface of the club head is a back face that includes a concave pocket cavity that is large enough to hold at least one golf-sized ball. The golf club head also has a sole that is cylindrically convex located adjacent to the back face, a heel, a toe, and a hosel for attaching a shaft to the club head. The concave pocket and the oversized head allow a player to volley the ball, scoop the ball up or hit from a surface, and pass or catch the ball to/from another player.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of Invention

[0002] This invention relates generally to a golf club toy, and morespecifically to a golf club toy having a club head designed for bouncinga toy golf ball on a face of the golf club head, and/or for scooping andcatching a toy golf ball in a cavity on a back face of the golf clubhead.

[0003] 2. Background

[0004] The sport of golf continues to increase in popularity due, inpart, to the emergence of popular, young professional players. Theincrease in public exposure of the sport in the media has resulted inthe increase of non-professional players, including children and adults.However, the game of golf requires a great deal of coordination andskill in order to successfully strike a small golf ball. This skill isachieved over years of practice and is not easily mastered by a child oran adult new to the game. Thus, a beginner player is likely to becomefrustrated trying to emulate his or her favorite golf player. Inaddition, golf clubs are expensive, and, therefore, a beginner player,or parent of a beginner child player, is not likely to invest in a setof real golf clubs until he or she is certain that the interest in thegame is not merely a passing fancy.

[0005] Plastic golf club sets and toy golf accessories are popular foryoung children. These toy sets include pieces that resemble golf clubs,but which are sized for young children. The toy golf clubs are typicallymade of a combination of plastic parts and “soft parts”, such as foam,that provide a light-weight, and safe alternative to a club utilized byexperienced players. The toy golf clubs provide children with theopportunity to develop their skills and to become familiar with theequipment of the game. However, adults typically do not wish to be“caught” using these miniature-sized golf clubs constructed forchildren, and thus, must purchase a full-size “real” golf club forpractice.

[0006] The use of golf club toys by children and full size golf clubs byadults is limiting in that these existing toy and real clubs do notfacilitate the imitating of golf “tricks” or the playing of otherskill-developing games. For example, professional golf players are ableto bounce a golf ball off of the face of a golf club for an extendedperiods of time. Additionally, many experienced golf players can collecta golf ball that is on the ground by simply scooping the ball onto theface of a golf club, without touching the golf ball with their hands.Because of the small surface area on the club face of a toy or real clubhead, the loft, i.e., the angle, of the club face, and the ridges thattypically are found on the club face, this skill is difficult to emulateby children and adults.

[0007] Another popular game played by adults and children is the sportof foot bag, e.g., Hacky Sack®. In this game, the players attempt tokeep a soft, ball-shaped bag aloft utilizing their feet, only. Thepopularity of this game cannot be extended easily to skill developmentfor golf since the typical golf club and/or a toy golf club is notdesigned for this purpose.

[0008] Therefore, a need exists for a golf club toy for both childrenand adults that provides opportunities for the development of golfskills and coordination, in general. Also, a need exists for a golf clubtoy that facilitates the bouncing, the scooping and the catching ofgolf-sized balls to allow users to create new skill-developing games andto imitate tricks performed by professionals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf clubtoy for both children and adults that may be used for preforming andpracticing tricks that normally only highly coordinated golfers are ableto perform and for developing skills and coordination for golf and othersports.

[0010] It is another object to provide a golf club toy having anenlarged club face for bouncing a golf ball off of the face.

[0011] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toythat allows a user to scoop and catch a golf ball.

[0012] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a golf clubtoy includes a club head attached to a club shaft, or handle. The golfclub toy is manufactured from molded plastic. However, in otherembodiments of the invention, other materials such as metal, fiberglass,foam plastics, etc., may be used alone or in combination for the clubhead and shaft. The club head of the exemplary embodiment includes aclub face, a back face, and a sole. The club face, which is the surfaceof the golf club toy that is used for hitting or bouncing a golf-sizedball or other similar object, is smooth and flat, i.e., paddle-like, tofacilitate the control of a ball as it is bounced on the club facesurface. In addition, the club face is dimensioned larger than existingclub faces of real and prior art toy golf clubs to provide additionalsurface area for continuously striking a ball. The club face is angledto slope towards the ground when the sole of the golf club toy is placedon the ground. The slope, also known as the loft of the club face,facilitates actions such as scooping the ball onto the face of the club.By angling the shaft, the club face may be brought parallel to theground to provide a surface perpendicular to a continuous verticalbouncing of a ball.

[0013] The back face of the golf club toy bridges the club face and thesole. The back face of the golf club head contains a concave pocketcavity that can hold at least one golf-sized ball. The uniquely designedcavity the golf club head allows a ball to be scooped, caught, ortransferred either to or from an object, or to or from another player.The cavity of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention alsoprovides a space for storing at least one ball when the golf club toy isnot in use.

[0014] The sole of the golf club head of the exemplary embodiment, whichis the surface of the golf club toy that contacts the ground, may bedefined by a heel and a toe located at opposite ends of the club head. Ahosel on the club face, adjacent the heel of the golf club head,contains an axial channel for attachment of a shaft to the golf clubhead. The shaft of the exemplary embodiment is adjustable and/or may besized to the player by, for example, removing a section of the shaft, orby telescoping the shaft to a preferred length.

[0015] The sole of the golf club head of the exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention is cylindrically convex in shape, but may be of manydifferent shapes. The cylindrically convex shape of the exemplaryembodiment is constructed to include fins which are spaced at a distancefrom each other. In other embodiments of the present invention, thecylindrically convex golf club head can have a continuous shaped surfacethat is void of any spaces. This configuration is more representative ofa traditional golf club head shape.

[0016] A fin-type structure of the sole of the club head has severaladvantages including a savings in material cost, a reduction in weightof the golf club, and an aid in the manufacturing process. The findesign requires less material resulting in a reduction of material costand weight. A lighter club head also allows a user to swing faster orwith less effort because the golf club toy is easier to handle. Thisfeature is particularly helpful for young children who may havedifficulty lifting and manipulating a standard weight golf club. Anotheradvantage of the fin-shaped sole is evident in the manufacturingprocess. For golf club heads molded from a plastic, or a similarmaterial, the fins reduce the time required for material cooling. Inaddition, because the material sets faster, the club may be removed froma mold quicker to reduce the time for manufacture of each golf club. Inaddition to the above advantages, the curvature of the sole surface alsoallows the club head to roll on a surface to facilitate in the scoopingof a golf ball from that surface.

[0017] The golf club toy of the exemplary embodiment offers advantagesfor play not present in an standard golf club. Because of the uniquelydesigned club face and back face of the golf club toy, a broader rangeof games may be played with the present invention, and a user maypractice tricks and games on the toy before attempting the same with astandard golf club. The back face of the club head which contains apocket cavity, allows a golf ball or similar object to be scooped,caught or transferred either to or from another object, toy or player.The club face is dimensioned larger in size and smooth as compared to astandard club to allow a user to volley and bounce a golf ballcontinuously on the club face. In addition, the club face is designed toallow a ball to be hit off of the face or struck from off of the ground.Thus, the golf club toy may be utilized for skill and coordinationdevelopment or simply for the user's amusement. The golf club toy of thepresent invention is ideal for golf instruction for young children tointroduce the children to the game and to provide them with a tool todevelop coordination for the more serious aspects of the game.

[0018] A method of using the golf club toy of the exemplary embodimentis provided for individually volleying and catching of a ball. Themethod begins with the user collecting or scooping a golf ball into thepocket cavity of the golf club toy. The ball may be collected into thepocket cavity either by scooping the ball directly off of theground/floor or by catching the ball from the air. The golf ball is thentransferred from the pocket cavity of the toy onto the club face bytossing the ball in the air from the cavity. The player may bounce theball continuously on the club face surface so that the ball remainsairborne. The player may also alternate bouncing the ball off of theclub face and catching the ball into the back face cavity.

[0019] The golf club toy of the exemplary embodiment may also beutilized by more than one player in a volley-type of a game. The ball isscooped up and then volleyed onto a first player's club faced. The ballis tossed to another player for volleying and/or for passing. The objectof the game is to catching and volleying a ball between players and tokeep the ball airborne for as long as possible. By practicing themethods of the present invention, players can compete against oneanother or can play by themselves to develop tricks and games and toimprove their coordination and skills. Individual or group playing orpracticing aids in the development of a user's balance, hand and eyecoordination, and concentration skills.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The present invention will be better understood from thefollowing detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of theinvention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in whichlike reference numerals refer to like parts and in which:

[0021]FIG. 1 is a view of the back face of the golf club head;

[0022]FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the sole of the golf club head;

[0023]FIG. 3 is an end view taken from the left-hand side of FIG. 1;

[0024]FIG. 4 is an end view taken from the right-hand side of FIG. 1;

[0025]FIG. 5 is a top view of the face of the golf club head;

[0026]FIG. 6 is a rear view thereof;

[0027]FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 1;

[0028]FIG. 8 is a view of the back face of an alternative club headwithout the fin structure; and

[0029]FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the configuration of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] FIGS. 1 to 7 illustrate various views of a preferred embodimentof the golf club toy of the present invention. The golf club toyincludes a shaft 12 (shown in broken lines) attachable to a golf clubhead 10 at a hozel 22. The golf club head 10 has a club face 20 forcontacting or striking a ball (not shown). The club face 20, or contactor striking surface, is a generally planar as shown in FIG. 5. The clubface 20 of the preferred embodiment has a greater surface area than astandard golf club face to provide a user with a larger area in which tocontact a ball. The expanded club face 20 provides a paddle-like targetfor a player to volley and/or bounce a ball continuously on the clubface 20. Referring to FIG. 4, the club face 20 is angled θ with respectto the shaft 12 to form a loft when the sole 8 of the club head 10 isplaced on a ground surface 4. In the preferred embodiment, the angle θis 60 degrees, but may be manufactured to have a loft of any desiredangle θ. In an alternate embodiment, the hosel 22 or the shaft 12includes a hinging point which allows the loft of the club face 20 to beadjusted to any desired angle θ. The sole 8 of the club head 10 of thepreferred embodiment is cylindrically convex to allow a user to roll thegolf club head 10 in order to scoop golf balls up from the groundsurface 4. However, in other configurations of the present invention,the club head 10 may have a triangular configuration such that the sole8 lies flat on the ground surface 4.

[0031] Continuing with FIG. 1, the golf club head 10 has a back face 26that is located adjacent the striking face 20. The back face 26 isdefined by a pocket cavity 14 that is deep enough to hold at least onegolf-sized ball. Referring also to FIG. 2, the cavity 14 of thepreferred embodiment is rounded inside of the club head 10, but may beshaped in other configurations. For example, the cavity 14 of analternate embodiment follows the contours of the outside profile of theclub head 10. Continuing, the sole 8 of the golf club head 10 includes aheel 16, a toe 18, and a hosel 22. The heel 16 and toe 18 are located onopposite ends of the golf club head 10, and the hosel 22 is located atthe heel 16 of the club head 10. The hosel 22 includes an axial channelthat allows the shaft 12 to be positioned securely inside the hosel 22for attachment to the golf club head 10.

[0032] The cylindrically convex shape of the sole 8 of the preferredembodiment includes fins 30 that are spaced apart along the sole 8 ofthe club head 10. A fin configuration has the advantage of requiringless material to form the golf club head 10. The use of fins 30 alsoresults in a lighter golf club toy that is easier to control. Inaddition, the manufacturing process time is reduced for golf head clubsmade of plastics since the golf club head 10 sets quicker in the moldinjection process. And as shown in FIG. 7, the depth of a fin 30provides greater surface area for the quick cooling of the plastic usedto manufacture the golf club head 10.

[0033]FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate side views of the pocket cavity 14 of theclub head 10. The opening of the cavity 14 is wide enough to accept agolf-sized ball. Thus, a player may utilize the cavity, not only forstoring a number of balls, but also for catching a ball into the cavity14, and for tossing the ball from the cavity 14 to the club face 20 orto another player. The cavity 14 may also be used to scoop a ball from aground surface 4.

[0034]FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate an alternate golf club head 40 of thepresent invention. The golf club head 40 includes a club face 52, a backface 54 that contains a pocket cavity 48, a heel 44, a toe 46, and ahosel 42. As shown in FIG. 9, the sole 8 of the alternate embodiment isa cylindrically convex, continuous surface that does not include fins. Aperson skilled in the art will recognize that the golf club head of thealternate embodiment 40 may be configured in a number of shapes. Inaddition, any suitable light weight material such as plastic orfiberglass, or combinations thereof, may be used to form the golf clubhead 10, 40 and shaft 12 of any of the embodiments. For example, thegolf club toy of an embodiment may include a foam-like contact pad (notshown) attached to the club face 52 for blunting the impact of a ball,and for providing more control in launching or catching a ball.

[0035] Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has beendescribed above by way of example only, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the field that modifications may be made to the disclosedembodiment without departing from the scope of the invention, which isdefined by the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. A golf club toy comprising: a club shaft having a grip endand a lower end; and a golf club head affixed to the lower end of theclub shaft, the golf club head comprising: a club face having agenerally planar surface, the club face enlarged to provide an expandedsurface for contacting at least one ball; a back face adjacent the clubface, the back face having a pocket cavity for at least one of catching,storing or scooping up the at least one ball; a sole adjacent the backface and club face, the sole having a heel at a first end of the golfclub head and a toe at a second end of the club head.
 2. The golf clubtoy of claim 1, wherein the club head further comprises a hosel locatedat the heel for connecting the club shaft to the golf club head.
 3. Thegolf club toy of claim 1, wherein the sole is cylindrically convex. 4.The golf club toy of claim 1, wherein the club face is angled to form aloft.
 5. The golf club toy of claim 4, wherein the loft is 60 degrees.6. The golf club toy of claim 1, wherein the sole comprises fins.
 7. Thegolf club toy of claim 6, wherein the fins are spaced equally along alength of the sole.
 8. The golf club toy of claim 1, wherein the sole iscomprised of a continuous surface.
 9. The golf club toy of claim 1,wherein the club head is formed of molded plastic.
 10. The golf club toyof claim 2, wherein the hosel has an axial channel for that allows theshaft to be secured therein.
 11. The golf club toy of claim 1, whereinthe club shaft is adjustable
 12. The golf club toy of claim 1, whereinthe club face further comprises a pad.
 13. A method of using a golf clubtoy having a shaft and a club head comprising the steps of: providingthe golf club head having an enlarged club face for scooping andcontacting a golf-sized ball, the golf club head having a cavity in aback face for scooping and accepting the golf-sized ball; scooping thegolf-sized ball from a surface utilizing one of the club face and thecavity; tossing the golf-sized ball in a desired direction utilizing athe shaft to project the golf-sized ball in the desired direction; andperforming one of catching the golf-sized ball in the cavity andbouncing the golf-sized ball off of the club face.
 14. The method as inclaim 8, further comprising the step of: transferring the golf-sizedball from one of the cavity and the club face to a second golf club toy.15. A club for performing tricks with a ball comprising: a club shafthaving a grip end and a lower end; and a club head affixed to the lowerend of the club shaft, the club head comprising: a club face having agenerally planar surface at an angle with respect to the club shaft, theclub face enlarged to provide an expanded-surface for contacting theball; a back face adjacent the club face, the back face having a pocketcavity for at least one of catching, storing or scooping up the theball; a sole adjacent the back face and club face, the sole having aheel at a first end of the golf club head and a toe at a second end ofthe club head, the sole comprising a plurality of fins equally spacesalong a length of the sole.
 16. The club of claim 15, wherein the angleof the club face is 60 degrees.
 17. The club of claim 15, wherein theangle of the club face is adjustable.
 18. The club of claim 15, whereinthe shaft is adjustable.